Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-06-24

to the public the letter from President
Cleveland on the subject might also be
made public.
"When did the President determine
that these flags should be returned?"
"During the week of the national drill
This action is not due to any pressure OF
any suggestion from any outside source
The idea originated with the admins
tration. 1t has been in contemplation il
the department for sometime"
General Drum of course speaks only OF
the President in regard to this action, OF
if ne speaks of another it is only to say
that the proposition was made to the
President by Secretary EndIcott at cab
met meeting, when it was unanimously
approved.
An official at the White House author
iZed TO speak on the subject said this
morning: General Drum seems to be
the person to talk about this matter
! There has been no order, nor any paper oil
any kind, signed by the President relative
to it. It originated IN the department
and has been carried out by the depart
ment, but the action of the department is
approved here, and that seems to De
about all there is to say about it."
4 number Of cabinet officers who were
approached declined to say anything on
! the subject, as 1t was not under theil
departments. The Secretary OF War was
not accessible this morning. There IS nc
doubt, however, that the President and
the cabinet gave their formal assent tc
the original suggestion of Adjutant-
General Drum.
GENERAL FAIRCHILD ON RECORD.
NEW YORK, June lG.-"May God palsy
the hand that wrote the ORDER" "May
God palsy the brain that contrIved
it," and "May God palsy the tongue
Army of the Republic veterans
glanced Ct each other with awe as the
terrible sentences rang out from the
commander-in chief of the Grand
Army Of the Republic last night
in the association at Harlem.
The occasion was reception rendered to
the CommandeT-in-chief by Alexander
Hamilton Post No. 1872, Grand Army of
the Republic. Visitors were present from
every Grand Army post of this city and
vicinity. Post Commander A. M. Under
nil presided. Among those present were
Senior Vice Department Commander LAT
ferty, Junior Vice Commander Charles
Hall Grant, Past State Commander Hedges
of Haverstaw and Corporal Tanner.
Before the meeting opened it became
known that Governor Ross Of Austin,
Texas, had received q letter from the
AdiutanJ-G General of the United States
army stating that the President had ap-
proved the recommendation and the
writer had been instructed by the Secre-
tary of War to return all the Confederate
flags in the care of the War Department
to the southern states from whose ranks
the flags had been captured during the
war Of the rebellion. General Fair
child entered the hall with stern set
features. Without hardly waiting for the
usual couTtesles, the leader burst forth
with the expressions recorded above.
The General told of the news received by
telegraph, that the President had ap-
proved Of the return Of the "Rebel''
flags, ard how those flags had been won
by the veterans Of the G.. A. Il. in open
conflict with the enemies Of the
nation. The veterans had placed
their trophies in the care of the
War Department. They were intended,
Re said, to be kept in the archives Of the
nation as mementOes of hardWon fields
of battle. He continued: GLOW can the
present loyal Governors of the southern
states accept emblems of treason after
their professions of loyalty to the Union?
Must they not return them to the Secre-
taIy and say that they have nothing to do
with the flags. as the rebel organizations
are extinct and their governors are
dead?"
General Fairchild said that he had
listened to sentiments which
caused him TO bite his tongue in the eff
fort to maintain self control. In the
nine months past he had visited
the Grand Army of the Republic posts in
every state in the northeast and east.
He had never in any post meeting heard
anything but kindly feelings expressed to-
wards the men who had looked into the
gun barrels of the northern troops
during the war. AS commander in chief
he had tried to encourage this kindly |
feeling. Now this was changed. The |.
time had come to speak in the name of
the organization. If he could not pro-
test against it as commander in chief of
the Grand Army of the Republic he would |
resign and protest as private citizen, /
but he was satisfied that $4,000 Grand |
Army of the Republic veterans would .
rise as one man in solemn protest against |
any such disposition of the trophies won |
1t such fearful sacrifice of blood.
Raising his only nand the general said:
. | appeal to the sentiment of the nation,
% forbid this sacrilege." There was !
silence, then a wild hurrah
vent up and it was repeated and con- /
inued.
CORPORAL TANNER.
Then came loud calls for Corporal /
tanner. He spologized for coming
Without his u. A. r. badge. One of the
infantry recruited since the war asked him
why he was going out of the house
Without badge" He answered that
fter the action of the President in the
ase of the Rebel flags the next thing
you'd be anOrder demanding that the
eterans of the war should return their
:. A. 4. badges as they were
made Of metal cast from guns captured
Il the war. He was not surprised that
uch an order should emanate from one
Who during the war was in the full vigor
f manhood, sturdy and strong, yet was
epresented in the field by substitute
rawn from the Erie penitentiary. Every
member should arise and protest against
he dissertation. The proposed trip of
cleveland to st. Louis had been discussed
V the veterans. He had advised the
-estern veterans to treat the President
nth the respect due him. Now had come
n order from which nothing could
ONE but condemnation and result in
These remarks were received with